8.29.2008

A Man's Measure

Friday evening.

It never felt better to have oneself ready for the day's, I mean, the night's work load, or so I thought...

I have the priviledge of coming to work early. I left the house with everything done; cooking, cleaning, sleeping for more than 5 hours. There was a smooth and fast traffic flow on my travel. I arrived at the building barely 40 minutes from log in, so I stopped by the lockers to get the usual stuff for the job; headsets, mug, stress ball (yes, we need one!) and pen. Before I proceeded to the workstations, I went to the pantry and poured iced tea to my mug. On the pantry television is the usual late night drama shows being aired. Watching the show after a few months has made me ignorant of the story, and its then I realized that there is so much in life that I missed having a graveyard shift. My eyes were glued on the show when I felt something cold running on my legs.

Alas, I left the mug's lid open and the iced tea I poured spilled all over my pants!

I immediately proceeded to the men's room and wiped my pants with scores of tissue paper. The air from the air conditioning systems shivers the wet pants as the coldness kicked in. I brushed my teeth after trying to dry the pants. After a few strokes and spitted the bubbles on the concrete sink, red lines are flowing from it. Blood. My gums are always bleeding after brushing. It looked gross so I opened the faucet and let the bloody bubbles and suds be washed away. Having no spare pants, I have no choice but to walk on the floors with my stained khakis. The essences of the iced tea left something sticky on my legs.

Great.

While walking on the floors, something in what I wear made the people I pass by giggle. Thought it must be the wet map on my pants or the stupidity of pouring my own drink on my pants while watching tv. I care less now, though much has been done. After a long embarrassing walk, I finally reached my station. I plugged my headset to the phones and pulled up my systems. I reached for my pants and discovered something worse. My zipper was open.

What a start.

The feeling of embarrassment has made me numb. I won't have to care what other people say with what happened. What's more important is that behind all the things that has happened, I will still walk on the floors and continue with what has to done; the most essential though the less appreciated. Though belittled with the stupidity, I have to walk forward, head up high, proud of having survived a war of pride and humility.

It is in this times that I ask myself, was I man enough? Did I made myself a stature of confidence over adversity?

Is this how a man is measured?

Should a man be measured by the strength of his muscle or the strength to his persona to accept the things he cannot change? Is it how he brings himself to others or his ability to survive and understand the toughest differences? Is it how he carries himself or how he carries for others welfare despite his struggles? Is he in his weakest when his ego is stepped on or when his heart is broken? Is he admired by his personal achievements or by his rising from failures?

Just when I think I can be man enough to be admired, it is but a great war. But then, at the end of the day, it is but the self to look back and ask oneself...

Was I man enough?
Or will I be the man everyone is hoping me to be..?

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